tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159Sun, 13 Aug 2017 11:40:00 +0000FRUGAL IN DERBYSHIREhttp://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )Blogger369125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-4211798338944645893Sat, 29 Jul 2017 07:55:00 +00002017-07-29T08:55:33.765+01:00I need tips for selling on Ebay pleaseHiya!<br />I've been having a little de-clutter. Not what some would call a de-clutter, but I've made a start with the smallest bedroom aka junk room.<br />All the fabric, clothes etc has gone to the Air Ambulance. They pick up from the door regularly and I fell lucky with a pick up last week. A few boxes of bric a brac, books etc have gone to the charity shop, but there are some items that I think are worth selling. So how to start? I have never sold anything on ebay and bought very little (and always with the help of my daughter or granddaughter) so I don't really know how to go about it. Do I do lots of photographs,? Do I do a thorough write up?<br />&nbsp;My granddaughter says I might do as well on a local facebook selling site. Has anyone found this better than ebay?<br />One of the reasons for the clear out of the small (which we call the Heidi room because it is snook up into the loft) to make more room for my granddaughter who is currently living with me and is "bottom drawing" &nbsp;- they don't use that term anymore do they? I remember David and I starting our bottom drawer. For some reason I thought that red and white would be a good theme. My first purchase was a "Domino" coffee set! Really useful! I have no idea where that went but it would fetch far more now than I paid for it then, well over 50 years ago.<br />Said granddaughter doesn't appear to have plans for a wedding as yet, she is though (with her partner) saving for a deposit on a house. Their long term plan is to have a smallholding and they plan to buy, "do up", move etc until they reach their goal. With the price of property especially with land they have a steep hill to climb, but she's a determined (not to say stroppy and sassy) young woman and they might just do it!! Nothing ventured eh? I know that Sue from the Cottage at the end of the lane did exactly that.<br />I can feel a theme coming on here - "Who can afford to buy a smallholding and how?" - Next post methinks.<br />I'd love to hear of your experience of Ebay/facebook selling.<br />Love Gill x<br />PS A warm welcome to Debbie Amber, Modern arts and crafts and Hannah Coe on Blogloven.<br /><br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/07/i-need-tips-for-selling-on-ebay-please.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-5184182713543547118Sun, 23 Jul 2017 16:14:00 +00002017-07-23T17:14:16.836+01:00"I deserve it"HELLO!!<br />I see that it is over a month since I last posted. Where did the time go!? Been super busy here. Not even been looking at other blogs and I'm months behind with my Civic Society paperwork too. No doubt I will catch up when/if the weather worsens and I am restricted to indoor tasks only.<br />While gathering my strength to attack the ironing mountain(any excuse to put it off) I have been watching "Right on the money" on the TV. As often happens I have been shouting at the TV again. Well at two "patients" that are struggling with money/debts/savings. What makes me shout? The statement "We/I deserve it" &nbsp;The parents of four children who believe they deserve a weekend break without the children once a month! (they also have family holidays) and the woman who buys online for things she doesn't need but likes opening packages and she deserves it. At least the woman appeared to be able to afford her purchases, but the couple were overspending in several ways, such as lots of takeaways -"because we work hard"<br />While I believe that people should have treats, holidays, meals out etc where does this term "deserve it" come from? I also couldn't help wondering how their children felt about how their parents needing so many breaks from them! (David and I had two weekends away on our own in all the time our children lived with us and while enjoyable, we didn't NEED the break)<br />Am I being a grump? Too judgmental? Do some people work harder than others?<br />Neck on the line here again - what do you think folks?!<br />Back with a smallholdy/frugally/generally type post soon.<br />Gillx<br />Off to catch up on some of my favourite blogs - have I missed anything?http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/07/i-deserve-it.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-1478151183821557403Mon, 19 Jun 2017 09:11:00 +00002017-06-19T10:23:34.294+01:00Of beesHiya!<br />Anyone else with bees looking out the window wondering if they will swarm?! The bees have all made it through a mild winter and the colonies are strong. Because of the heat most hives have lots of bees "bearding" to the out side of the hive to keep themselves and the hive cool. On first sight it is difficult to assess if they are about to swarm, so I keep looking to see what they will do next. We had one swarm last week and it was a whopper! It settled low in a pyracanth so was easy to collect though the nasty thorns kept catching at my veil. When boxed it almost filled all the frames, so it is more than possible that we will get honey from it later in the year.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RwUExrdFIKk/WUeUaFUVSMI/AAAAAAAAB8M/Q7rAoRn9KFowuejEQzgGNWPw0yaWEOKOQCLcBGAs/s1600/pyracanthbees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RwUExrdFIKk/WUeUaFUVSMI/AAAAAAAAB8M/Q7rAoRn9KFowuejEQzgGNWPw0yaWEOKOQCLcBGAs/s320/pyracanthbees.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Our godson who also keeps bees has had several swarms from the hives in his and his parent's gardens (they live next door to each other) Unfortunately, his father was stung last week and had a serious reaction that the doctor says will only get worse with any further stings! So Gds has to look to rehome his bees. he will have to sell some bees and just keep half a dozen hives in whatever plot he finds to house them. So if anyone in Notts/Derbys is looking to buy some bees let me know and I will see that you are contacted.<br />Looking out of the window I do believe I see bees pouring out of hive No 5.. must go!<br />Gillx<br />Yup. sat at the door for 10 mins to see them landing in one of the damsons. They have settled on several branches at the mo, so will look again in a few minutes to see if they have amalgamated into one lump and where in the tree that might be. I hope it is the lower branch!<br />Gx<br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/06/of-bees.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-9161590749240525671Tue, 13 Jun 2017 18:50:00 +00002017-06-13T19:50:50.173+01:00Some Derbyshire cheeseHallo!<br />I'm feeling a little more positive about the veggie gardens this week. While there are still some heroic weeds out there I have begun to tame them and am planting with a vengeance! I'm having a go at sweet potatoes this year. The youngsters like them, though I'm not too keen really. They are okay in a chilli and curry but that's about all. Anybody else growing or have grown sweet potatoes? Were they worth the effort and cost (£2 a plant)?<br />I was in the garden showing GF round, (earlier he had been looking at my latest glass purchases - I told you it was a weakness!) and a fellow beekeeper called in to bring us a sample of her latest cheeses. Oh MY! are they good! She doesn't sell them until she has matured them a little. I do like a nice Brie and these are as close as you can get to a Brie. I love the hole in the middle, she lives on Stanage Edge up in wildest Derbyshire Peak District - hence Stanage Millstone. You can visit her site at www.cowclose.farm<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rH7Ksn9KE-w/WUAt_9W_pVI/AAAAAAAAB78/6dCISPhbgaoGPAyeM4Z1Rpp5PlJ9SkLEQCLcB/s1600/IMG_20170613_174110539_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rH7Ksn9KE-w/WUAt_9W_pVI/AAAAAAAAB78/6dCISPhbgaoGPAyeM4Z1Rpp5PlJ9SkLEQCLcB/s320/IMG_20170613_174110539_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>In (a poor) swap I gave her a teasle plant and a syrup feeder for her bees.<br />We were fishing in Cornwall again last weekend, David brought home a goodly catch of Pollack and Ling and I found a cute stall in the Tavistock Pannier market where I bought 2 cut glass whisky glasses and four small liqueur-type glasses of different styles for my collection. GF tells me that one is Bohemian, one from the mid Victorian era and one from around 1820, he isn't sure about the other. Each glass cost me £1 and I am very pleased with them.<br />The bees still haven't swarmed, or if they have I have missed them going. We are hoping for a good honey year. Other beekeepers we know feel the same. I do hope my bloggy beekeeper friends are doing well too.<br />This year's broodies only seem to be able to hatch the odd egg before leaving all the others behind to go cold and expire. We have four hens with eight chicks between them so far - rubbish! Three others are sitting, let's see how well they do!<br />We are now on countdown to our annual Bash. It is in four weeks and we have another weekend in Cornwall planned before then. No pressure there then. As usual we will have over 20 tents, with approx 150 guests all told (not everyone camps) There will be races, 50 a side rounders, country dancing and a group at night for a boogie. Most of this is no effort as we have all we need in equipment and most people bring a plate of food. David has organised some barrels of local ale and cider and it remains to make the place safe and set up the recycling area.<br />&nbsp;Enough of my ramblings.<br />back soon<br />Gillx<br /><br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/06/some-derbyshire-cheese.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-7226960872890215621Sat, 10 Jun 2017 13:35:00 +00002017-06-10T14:35:55.049+01:00Back to the blog post electionHello All<br />Just a very quick post to say I am still here and battling on, sorry I have been so tardy posting, but I'm now "Back to the Blog"<br />The election has been interesting hasn't it?!!<br />Reading people's &nbsp;blogs over the last few days (rather than keeping this one up to date!) I am struck by how SURE many people are that they are right and anyone who disagrees is a fool/ misguided etc. I wish I could be so sure that I was Right in my views. There are so many variables to each argument and so many views/ experiences to consider. I am a life-long Socialist (no shit Sherlock!) but do not consider that it is the only party that understands what a country or its people needs. I consider it has many flaws and am often upset &nbsp;by some of its' policies and pissed off with some of the pretty uninspiring candidates ( I believe Diane Abbot is to leave her shadow cabinet post... thank goodness for that!) Whatever happened to the good old Statesmen of both parties? I have just read that Mrs May may be considering aligning herself with the DUP. marvellous!! anti abortion, anti gay etc. They could &nbsp;also consider whether women should continue to have the vote while we are at it!<br />SO enough of that (for now) I'm off to brave the showers and plant up some more veg plants that are bursting out of their pots, prick out the tomatoes, pick gossegogs and string up the hops! All these things are achievable and good for the soul.<br />Back soon &nbsp;- honest!<br />Gillxhttp://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/06/back-to-blog-post-election.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-4152936430837973711Thu, 25 May 2017 10:04:00 +00002017-05-25T11:04:08.046+01:00Appeal - Please Drink more ProseccoHello from sunny Derbyshire.<br />This is a drink related post.<br />I have asked my facebook friends to drink more Prosecco, Cava or Champagne. Strangely, my appeal has been well received and donations are rising steadily.<br />Here is the reason why -<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SacWGgZCElk/WSalT9V56tI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/06maj1OBJ908HFQ-9mFux5qCGJ4iLyVjgCLcB/s1600/DSC_0327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SacWGgZCElk/WSalT9V56tI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/06maj1OBJ908HFQ-9mFux5qCGJ4iLyVjgCLcB/s320/DSC_0327.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fid7sekOyf0/WSalZZseaNI/AAAAAAAAB7c/YlLbpZZiOcsdO2xdb5a377ASjaV5h2M8QCLcB/s1600/DSC_0322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fid7sekOyf0/WSalZZseaNI/AAAAAAAAB7c/YlLbpZZiOcsdO2xdb5a377ASjaV5h2M8QCLcB/s320/DSC_0322.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tRhhTk9L9Jg/WSalle9yEQI/AAAAAAAAB7g/l9I968ynTXM9z5l9_e98Jj4tNKc8SarkQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tRhhTk9L9Jg/WSalle9yEQI/AAAAAAAAB7g/l9I968ynTXM9z5l9_e98Jj4tNKc8SarkQCLcB/s320/DSC_0324.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;How good are those for protecting eyes while gardening?<br />The canes are from a gardening job that H. undertook some months ago. There was a HUGE quantity of bamboo to be cut down. He bought it here and it has been drying in the barn since then. We have started to trim it to make garden canes and supports. The canes and leaves were at least 10 feet tall, some taller and there is five times more than you see to be trimmed yet. I looked up how to prepare and preserve bamboo and it looked a little complicated, with salt baths etc, so I have just dried and trimmed it. Regarding the corks, wine corks are okay, but &nbsp;the sparkling wine corks are so much better for fixing and for protective qualities, hence the appeal for more. I use a lot of canes as I grow spray chrysanths , gladioli and such like for cutting as well as vegetables that need support.<br />&nbsp; &nbsp;Still drink related,<br />&nbsp;I collect old liqueur glasses ( it's a weakness I know - more clutter!). Below are a couple of examples. The one on the right is Victorian and very fine glass. The one on the left is one of my "everyday" glasses, which we use for tasting homemade damson gin, cassis etc. They are tiny but robust and probably not old, but I do love them.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_K-dwhChLz0/WSaltQ9NsCI/AAAAAAAAB7k/bPuuxeC5KSEJsMKEKNzdfWwEv4g0uTkpACLcB/s1600/DSC_0319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_K-dwhChLz0/WSaltQ9NsCI/AAAAAAAAB7k/bPuuxeC5KSEJsMKEKNzdfWwEv4g0uTkpACLcB/s320/DSC_0319.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;Now look at these beauties. My friend found these in a charity shop and paid very little for them. He informs me that they are Georgian. They are lovely to hold and my new favourites.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-85dCLdZ79qU/WSalx2zpjUI/AAAAAAAAB7o/163wpuWqSRcTNAKrE_GO58Y9QVcw25MeACLcB/s1600/DSC_0318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-85dCLdZ79qU/WSalx2zpjUI/AAAAAAAAB7o/163wpuWqSRcTNAKrE_GO58Y9QVcw25MeACLcB/s320/DSC_0318.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;Not in any way drink related, unless I make a tenuous link to how many bottle they are still drinking each day (3) Here are the lambs. Dumble, Duchess, Daphne, Dora, Delilah and Denzle. Little Duchess, who is sitting down in the grass, has joint ill and is currently on antibiotics. She had a nasty abscess on one foot, which has been lanced and I am currently washing out the wound with salt water twice a day. Her elbow on her other back leg is also affected so she really is in a poor way, but we are giving her the best care we can.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OMiDrDAKkPk/WSal1E_zZnI/AAAAAAAAB7s/KcByNaC2VHI5USMlkf5mJmaHxXVT_3yKACLcB/s1600/DSC_0326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OMiDrDAKkPk/WSal1E_zZnI/AAAAAAAAB7s/KcByNaC2VHI5USMlkf5mJmaHxXVT_3yKACLcB/s320/DSC_0326.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Lovely weather again today, but a little hot to work in the gardens.<br />I will be amazed if we don't get a swarm!<br />Keep cool.<br />Love Gillx<br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/05/appeal-please-drink-more-prosecco.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-6421805933421282161Mon, 22 May 2017 09:17:00 +00002017-05-22T10:17:26.298+01:00Deep beds or no?Hello All<br />Welcome to Charlotte and Yours Frugally on Bloglovin and Tom on the sidebar<br />I notice that many people use the "deep bed" way to grow their veg.<br />The principle behind deep beds is that the soil is deep and humous-full and that the beds are just wide enough to allow you to tend to the plants while not standing on the soil, as compressing the soil damages the it' friability and drainage. This method means that a higher density of plants can be grown in a given area.<br />To set the ground up for this method it is usual to make a frame from strong treated wood (often old &nbsp;railway sleepers) these boxes are usually placed 3 to 4 foot apart and some sort of path made between the beds. (gravel, slabs, chippings) The boxes are then filled with compost and /or soil, ensuring a soil high in nutrients.<br />You may remember from pics that I have shared that I don't use this method. I have to say that I am not convinced it is the most efficient or frugal way to grow veg. Oooo er controversial Gill!!<br />Firstly, the outlay to set up this system is pretty high. &nbsp;If you are growing your own to save money it will be some considerable time before you get your money back (especially if you grow crops such as carrots and potatoes) Consider the cost of the wood, preservative,paving and compost, (though some people do have access to enough improved soil)<br />Secondly, you can make your soil as rich, deep and productive without using boxed deep beds.<br />Thirdly, you will grow easily as much per square foot in a well planned "conventional" garden.<br />Here's how we do it.<br />We ridge up the garden into 4 to 5 foot beds beds with and 18" gap between, this frees up more gardening space per metre than using the boxed garden, wide path method. I usually lay old floor boards or pallet wood in the gap to walk on or push wheel barrows along.(If you roll these boards over occasionally you can pick off and dispose of the slugs that will gather there - they have to gather somewhere!)<br />I will grant you that raised beds are tidier and if you are a wheelchair user higher raised beds make gardening possible for you (you will need higher boards for this, say 3 or 4 sleepers deep) I personally favour the chaotic flowers, fruit and vegetables (and quite a few weeds) look, which makes my heart sing in mid summer and have searched out a couple of pics to remind you.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dlSn1FPXhg8/WSKqT3Ywn9I/AAAAAAAAB7I/NqH_gpRiIKgb5DJQIWYkvT3TZWEEhB14wCLcB/s1600/DSC_0671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dlSn1FPXhg8/WSKqT3Ywn9I/AAAAAAAAB7I/NqH_gpRiIKgb5DJQIWYkvT3TZWEEhB14wCLcB/s320/DSC_0671.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0ggUqxuOVo/WSKpyBVIybI/AAAAAAAAB7A/g2knRpNuTwcYLK0mAG7lYxIYsMw79iFzwCLcB/s1600/DSC_0506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0ggUqxuOVo/WSKpyBVIybI/AAAAAAAAB7A/g2knRpNuTwcYLK0mAG7lYxIYsMw79iFzwCLcB/s320/DSC_0506.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Now some may have to lie down in a darkened room after looking at this organised chaos, but I reckon that the yield from this chaos is pretty good!<br />Some come on gardeners what do you think? (Head above the parapet here)<br />Gill<br /><br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/05/deep-beds-or-no.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-1490254826047487304Thu, 18 May 2017 22:33:00 +00002017-05-18T23:33:37.770+01:00"Three Girls". What did you think?Oh My!<br />&nbsp;Anyone else here been watching "Three Girls"? If so, what did you think?<br />My granddaughter and I have been watching it and believe it to be very well done, though not an easy watch.<br />Gillxhttp://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/05/three-girls-what-did-you-think.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-7728189967949736417Wed, 10 May 2017 09:41:00 +00002017-05-10T10:41:27.379+01:00Fishing, Car Boot and the Lambs<br />Thank you so much for your comments on my last post. How touching and some cases heartbreaking they were. I am so glad that you felt you could share.<br />David and I are just back from one of our regular fishing trips to Looe in Cornwall. As usual we stayed with our friend in Callington and while David fished J. and I gossiped and visited a couple of car boot sales. I didn't buy much but was pleased with that which I did buy, this gorgeous jerkin for 50pence<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a7ODPlDbb2A/WRLdajNiB_I/AAAAAAAAB6g/6BGf7bhYbn4oVOD4_AsWiUmvWDNMx_4lwCLcB/s1600/DSC_0274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a7ODPlDbb2A/WRLdajNiB_I/AAAAAAAAB6g/6BGf7bhYbn4oVOD4_AsWiUmvWDNMx_4lwCLcB/s320/DSC_0274.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>and<br />&nbsp;These delightful pincers,which David says are probably Victorian and I thought would be helpful when I am assembling and disassembling frames for the bees. Even if I didn't have a use for them I think they are a beautiful tool and it will reside in my "Woman's Drawer" in the kitchen, with all my other tools.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q7DBkY2Fhds/WRLeQFyY9kI/AAAAAAAAB6o/fuP1zH3qi5MoZboiXtnvpNW_k1Xms8IhwCLcB/s1600/DSC_0272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q7DBkY2Fhds/WRLeQFyY9kI/AAAAAAAAB6o/fuP1zH3qi5MoZboiXtnvpNW_k1Xms8IhwCLcB/s320/DSC_0272.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />&nbsp;I also bought a novel and a couple of soft toys for Coda and Sammie the Labs (expecting them to want the same one!)<br />David and his friends caught mostly Pollack and we received the spoils from his and of his friends catch too, After I had filleted the catch we had 29lb (13kgs) of fish fillets for the freezer. I cut a couple of the larger pollack into strips to make cougons for the grandchildren and will breadcrumb them, cornflake crumb actually, later and serve them with oven baked homemade chips and mayo. Some we will have for a favourite weekend lunch of fish finger sandwiches (real class!)<br />The lambs are still on 4 bottles a day and likely to be for a few days yet as a couple of them are not too strong and still need quite a lot of care and I'm not overly confident that they will make it. But each day is a day closer to then making strong lambs.<br />Here they are out in the sun after their lunchtime bottle<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3llBS-JTn-s/WRLe0biMVpI/AAAAAAAAB6w/u1x9HiRlbXUBKEl2cYjpnf30_N6XlLMagCLcB/s1600/DSC_0267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3llBS-JTn-s/WRLe0biMVpI/AAAAAAAAB6w/u1x9HiRlbXUBKEl2cYjpnf30_N6XlLMagCLcB/s320/DSC_0267.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>A Warm Derbyshire welcome to Faith Archer on Bloglovin. Do you have a blog Faith?<br />I have just collected all the bits and bobs of vegetables together that have been languishing in the fridge &nbsp;since last week. I will see what I can cobble together this afternoon. Will try to remember to take some pics.<br />Back Soon<br />Gillx<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/05/fishing-car-boot-and-lambs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-586945813613439056Tue, 02 May 2017 08:13:00 +00002017-05-02T09:13:36.078+01:00What would you say to your deceased parent?In my last post I talked pinnys/aprons and Annie of Scrappalachia said that her mother always wore one and how she still missed her mother 15 years after her death. I too still miss my mother, in many ways more than then when she died. I often find myself wanting to ask or tell her things.<br />&nbsp;I find myself talking to her ..."Look at this mum" I say when something is happened she would have liked. or "You would have loved her so" When watching my youngest granddaughter, who is named after her. More recently " J is happy and settled" about a grandson who had a difficult early life with his Aspergers.<br />And as for my dear father, who never saw us move to our smallholding (which my mother did and so loved the place) " How about that view dad?" and "I wish you could tell the children one of your stories" and "Tell me about your grandma and grandma".<br />What would you like to say to your deceased parent if you could?<br />Can't see the keyboard as I am sobbing here!<br />Gillx<br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/05/what-would-you-say-to-your-deceased.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-1675713654086165145Sun, 30 Apr 2017 13:11:00 +00002017-04-30T14:11:09.792+01:00Her life in pinnys or is it aprons?Hello again<br />A couple of weeks ago YGD who is nearly 12, came to stay and as is usual, wanted to bake. Out came the pinnys. She put on &nbsp;the latest one she has been wearing, which was originally made for her older cousin. This one is made of pale green cotton twill, very hard wearing and meant to double up as his carpentry pinny. As he is now nearly 25 and 6' 3" he hasn't worn it in years! When YGD put it on, she only just managed to pull it over her head and it it came half way up her thighs. Time to get out the pinny I had made for her to give her later in the year. Putting GS's green pinny back I realised that it was joining a collection of no-longer-big-enough pinnys belonging to YGD. Why did I keep them? because we often have children visiting and they like to "do things". Here are the ones I found in the drawer... her life in pinnys.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QYs7YEnLsNI/WPXaOpKdqTI/AAAAAAAAB6Q/3Qrura45Sb05GXkCdfrKPrrrQB54JtI8QCLcB/s1600/DSC_0235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QYs7YEnLsNI/WPXaOpKdqTI/AAAAAAAAB6Q/3Qrura45Sb05GXkCdfrKPrrrQB54JtI8QCLcB/s320/DSC_0235.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>While telling Good Friend &nbsp;about the pinnys, as I knew he would be interested, being a collector of many things (including tea cosies and fans) I realised that we speak a different language. He calls them aprons, while I call them pinnys or pinafores. Mmmm is this a class thing or a district thing, a bit of both, a bit U and non-U ? So what do you call them? and what is the pinafore in HMS Pinafore? Neither GF nor I knew the answer.<br />Off to feed the 9 lambs that joined us last week. Pictures to follow.<br />Welcome to Marlene Snijders and Liane Peddlesden on the side bar and Ani K. Hill on Bloglovin. For some reason I can only see the blogs you follow and not if you have a blog.<br />Gillx<br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/04/her-life-in-pinnys-or-is-it-aprons.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-322669334838062845Tue, 18 Apr 2017 08:47:00 +00002017-04-18T09:47:25.177+01:00"Teach me before you die"&nbsp;Hello All<br />Welcome to Steve on the follower bar and Bloglovin<br />We are still waiting fro our poddy lambs. EGD who lives with us has asked if we can keep a couple of the girls and put them to the ram next year. "I want learn how to lamb and you can teach me before you die!" she said cheerfully Now I know that 71 isn't young, but really! On reflection I AM passing on all sorts of things to EGD while she lives with us. Her partner (who is a tree surgeon and gardener) is always asking questions and showing a keen interest in all that we do too. Hope for the future eh?!<br /><br />The hens are finally in the orchard, the goathouse has being cleaned in preparation for the lambs arriving.(There are two hens with their chicks ensconced in there, but in a couple of weeks time we will put them in a separate run within the orchard to gradually introduce them to the rest of the girls.) So "Hurrah"! I thought, I can finally plant out some of the veggie plants that are waiting in the cold frame and greenhouse. I couldn't &nbsp;wait to get the cabbages, broad beans and peas in. I stood back admired my handiwork and retired for a well earned scotch and to watch a film that EGD and her fella had bought.<br />&nbsp;Has anyone seen " I Daniel Blake"? &nbsp;EGD and I shed a tear on a couple of occasions and felt upset and frustrated in turns. I have accompanied many people to the job centre over the years and my experience has been mostly positive with regard to the people that work there, even though the system that they work within can be flawed. I did shout at the screen a couple of time (like I do) and though I can't say that I actually enjoyed the film, it was definitely worth watching.<br /><br />Anyway back to the garden... the next morning I went out to see to the hens and admire the veg plot to find that we had been visited by ...rabbits! I was seriously p***d off and wished that I still smoked!<br />So all plans that David had for the weekend were shelved while he firmed up the fencing to the orchard that is between the paddock and the veg garden, as on inspection the little fluffy creatures had gnawed through the paddock fencing to hoppity skippity through the orchard and into the self service salad bar.<br />Yesterday I replanted with some plants that I had put aside for a community allotment group that has been set up. Is that really selfish of me ?<br />We saw two of "our" swallows this weekend. They swooped and dived overhead, happy to see each other after their long journey. David had only swept the goathouse walls and beams the day before, so we are only just ready for them.<br />All for now<br />love Gillx<br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/04/teach-me-before-you-die.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-8490130791964621673Thu, 06 Apr 2017 08:49:00 +00002017-04-06T09:49:14.304+01:00Update on our Cockerel Morning Fellow Bloggers!<br />Thought I would update you on HughTwo. Here he is looking good. You can just see his aluminium splint?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LAZOecp9RDA/WOX7a8iBQcI/AAAAAAAAB5s/mpJ7qGSgkS8p1b4wULaxwSul62cBjocugCLcB/s1600/DSC_0210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LAZOecp9RDA/WOX7a8iBQcI/AAAAAAAAB5s/mpJ7qGSgkS8p1b4wULaxwSul62cBjocugCLcB/s320/DSC_0210.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;Here he is looking for all the world as though he is king of the Roost, which indeed he is. We are delighted with his progress and though he is still limping quite badly his foot, which was turning, in is now straighter than it was. He is such a gentle boy (though extremely randy!) and never shows any aggression to animals or humans. If the girls squabble he runs up to them and stands between them. I think he must have gone on a course about diffusing difficult situations! He is (supposed to be) a Lavender Orpington.We are fond of Orpington cockerels because of their natures. HughTwo is so named because he is so like our Buff Orpington Cockerel Hugh, who was an absolute sweetie.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1xMmqQzZ9Rs/WOX8BzEkbPI/AAAAAAAAB50/srezZhzD4sIluQlIPRKME8KdQGMGN1-vACLcB/s1600/DSC_0211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1xMmqQzZ9Rs/WOX8BzEkbPI/AAAAAAAAB50/srezZhzD4sIluQlIPRKME8KdQGMGN1-vACLcB/s320/DSC_0211.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;We have decided to leave the splint on for at least another fortnight. Fingers crossed he will have no lasting problems.<br />The sun is shining today and I am off to do a spot more posting for the Civic Society and the Canal Society.<br />I mentioned the blossom yesterday, here is a picture of one of the front garden damsons.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eMyv3JySkyI/WOX8X2EMUZI/AAAAAAAAB54/_Wz8UaN_swU5nbk95tVqPg24wkEBgROwwCLcB/s1600/DSC_0205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eMyv3JySkyI/WOX8X2EMUZI/AAAAAAAAB54/_Wz8UaN_swU5nbk95tVqPg24wkEBgROwwCLcB/s320/DSC_0205.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;I have just found this picture of Hugh the buff Orpington. Here he is sitting with one of his many wives. This shows his gentle nature. Can you see the baby between them? We have no idea why it is that colour unless Hugh was cuckolded by ?!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QDqKSiM7cmo/WOX8i3j4gPI/AAAAAAAAB58/v3wB8oJssAMBVi6sM1L6x3M5edtxZQ_hgCLcB/s1600/DSC_0315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QDqKSiM7cmo/WOX8i3j4gPI/AAAAAAAAB58/v3wB8oJssAMBVi6sM1L6x3M5edtxZQ_hgCLcB/s320/DSC_0315.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>All for now<br />Gillxhttp://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/04/update-on-our-cockerel.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-1113709524603288834Tue, 04 Apr 2017 09:49:00 +00002017-04-04T10:49:09.771+01:00I make a stupid mistake<br />Hello All<br />Welcome Zuria Amber on Bloglovin, good to see you here.<br />It's been a busy couple of weeks, mostly with the Civic Society, a seperate pressure group that I am secretary to and the gardens (of course)<br />Last Sunday most of the family came round for tea, plus a woman (and her husband) who sees our house as her second home and arrives with her scissors to cut anybody's hair that needs it. (line up everyone) &nbsp; Youngest daughter with her son and daughter &nbsp;set to to clean the goat house floor, which was covered in over three months worth of chicken s*** as we have been deep littering them .The chickens should really be back in their house in the orchard, but when David set about deep cleansing and fumigating this he found that a couple of shelves and a couple of laying boxes needed replacing. While this is being sorted the hens are still living in the goat house and free-ranging over the vegetable plots that I am desperate to start planting up. We are probably only a couple of weeks from getting our orphan lambs so the goat house also now needs a deep clean. We will need to be careful how we do this as four hens have hunkered down on eggs in various spots in the goat house and we expect chicks from this weekend and over the next two weeks. It looks like we might have a perfect Easter picture with chicks and lambs if all works out to plan (yeah right).<br />When the dream team had finished mucking out they leant the front of the old goat byres against the end byre. As I needed to access this to pick some eggs I moved one of the byre fronts against the water tap and then forgot it. An hour later ED found our beautiful cockerel Hugh-two, under the (very heavy) byre door. When she extracted him from this he clearly couldn't walk and on investigation it seemed he had broken his leg at his "elbow". I felt dreadful, what a stupid mistake to make.What to do? David cut a piece of angled aluminium, bent it into the shape of Hugh-two's elbow while YD duct taped it to his leg. We then put him into a large rabbit hutch to rest overnight. I hardly slept worrying about what I would find in the morning as it was possible that the splint wouldn't work and/or that he also had internal injuries.<br />The next morning I opened the rabbit hutch and Hugh-two flew past me squawking loudly. He limped over to the nearest hen and proceeded to do what cockerels are paid for!! Grant you he fell over afterwards, but his pecker was definitely up! We are watching him carefully and so far he is eating well, managing to dust bath rather inelegantly, limping all over his kingdom and bonking for England!<br />This weekend we are off for the first weekends' sea fishing of the year. So we are Cornwall bound on friday afternoon, while YD and EGD take over, wondering what catastrophes will happen while we are away. A good friend of mine is coming with us this time and she and I &nbsp;hope to hit the charity shops etc while David is at sea, while taking the opportunity for a good gossip, which we seem to have little time for recently.<br />Will close for now as I have to post some newsletters and flyers and I'm already a day later than I promised.<br />Back soon with more bits and pieces of random stuff<br />Love Gillx<br />PS Isn't the blossom spectacular this year?<br /><br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br /><br /><br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/04/i-make-stupid-mistake.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-2561304472229974482Thu, 23 Mar 2017 09:18:00 +00002017-03-23T09:18:03.236+00:00Sad NewsMorning All<br />&nbsp;I was going to answer the comments from my last post and do a more upbeat one this time. However sadness at the news from London yesterday, coupled with my ambivalent feelings about the lauding of someone who was responsible for so many deaths in Ireland have now been compounded by the news of the death of the husband of one of the sweetest bloggers.<br />I am sure that those who follow the Weaver of Grass, and there are many, are as upset as I and are thinking of her and sending virtual hugs.<br />Enough<br />love Gillx<br />&nbsp; http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/03/sad-news.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-1996240014078906204Thu, 16 Mar 2017 10:09:00 +00002017-03-16T10:09:06.882+00:00Us selfish smallholders<br />Hi Everybody.<br />I'm sat here making my daily list of things that must be done today, those that I will do if I have time, phone calls and emails to that I must make, what we are having for dinner tonight and how many will be here for that and adding to the shopping list for when I go to the shops next ( I shop approx. twice a week)<br />I do this each day as I am not organised by nature and it helps me to use my time well (and I do love a good list!)<br />I lead a pretty busy life and realise that I can come over as smug because of this. I think smugness is something smallholders lean towards. "Look at us aren't we good?.. saving the planet, living a good life, cooking good food, not eating junk and generally being more interesting and better than some!<br />&nbsp;This is the life we chose (which isn't for everybody thank goodness as there isn't enough land to go round!) and because it is a way of life it can be all consuming and can make us SELFISH!!. What do we do for others? Do we find time to look outside our "rural idyll" at those who are frailer, struggling, in need? I suppose I mean in a proactive face-to-face way. For example, giving to charity shops, while absolutely necessary for those charities, is still a rather passive way to help and let's face it is a way of getting rid of stuff you don't need (which is hardly philanthropic) so I don't think it counts! While taking half an hour to call on (or phone) a lonely neighbour, helping out at a local luncheon club, delivering leaflets for a local cause or maybe walking a dog for someone temporarily incapacitated is giving of your most valuable asset.. time and takes you out of yourself for a little while.<br />So there is my thought for the day... not that you asked for it!<br />Goodness what a random post.<br />Gillx<br />PS Welcome to Pauline Williams on the follower bar and Kathy on Bloglovin. Good to see you here xhttp://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/03/us-selfish-smallholders.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-8839919020522192790Mon, 13 Mar 2017 09:27:00 +00002017-03-13T09:27:18.773+00:00<br />Good Morning Sunshine!!!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O7Ujw4iLP64/WMZdN-eZL4I/AAAAAAAAB4Y/7nUJyDLVnkE5d9g3RymF7rTyUyaqZqT3wCLcB/s1600/100_5630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O7Ujw4iLP64/WMZdN-eZL4I/AAAAAAAAB4Y/7nUJyDLVnkE5d9g3RymF7rTyUyaqZqT3wCLcB/s320/100_5630.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iDpCfe5A0B8/WMZdTEOIF9I/AAAAAAAAB4c/vGai2SMGTd4fn0jA6_k60T0in5ne0cXRgCLcB/s1600/100_5631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iDpCfe5A0B8/WMZdTEOIF9I/AAAAAAAAB4c/vGai2SMGTd4fn0jA6_k60T0in5ne0cXRgCLcB/s320/100_5631.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Doesn't it make you feel better? Coda thinks so too! (rubbish pic)<br />This weekend has been dry and mostly sunny.With great help from H. who is EGD's boyfriend, David has taken down an old damson tree that was quite rotten. This tree had grown between three outbuildings and supported a tree house covered with ivy. As the house, tree and even the ivy was crumbling it had to go. Once this was dispatched (a BIG job) and onto a big bonfire, apart from the good wood for logs, the rest of the family arrived and did a great job cleaning up. There was a huge amount of well rotted leaf mould which was a bonus.<br />Here they are. Note that the girls are cleaning and the boys are watching!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rcTqe95oMg8/WMZfP6WkuQI/AAAAAAAAB4s/ZhfhxyQQxUgWceiu3QhAE2e_sPggyp1hQCLcB/s1600/100_5629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rcTqe95oMg8/WMZfP6WkuQI/AAAAAAAAB4s/ZhfhxyQQxUgWceiu3QhAE2e_sPggyp1hQCLcB/s320/100_5629.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>That was Sunday, when all the family and the occasional friend (yesterday it was EGD's friends and their baby)come for a roast dinner. On Friday David and H. attacked the wisteria on the front and side of the house. It was good to have the help of a young man who is happy to scramble up a high ladder. David is extremely good at pruning wisteria for flower and was able to teach H. who is a tree surgeon this skill. Here is ( a very small part) of the pruned &nbsp;plant.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b31am91CHmo/WMZgc3vGdII/AAAAAAAAB44/bXnuh4SH6IsJOmItpw-LkyHucB9ni8HfACLcB/s1600/100_5634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b31am91CHmo/WMZgc3vGdII/AAAAAAAAB44/bXnuh4SH6IsJOmItpw-LkyHucB9ni8HfACLcB/s320/100_5634.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>And the bonus bye-product of the pruning... weaving material!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G2w0HDnFyHo/WMZguRwlZUI/AAAAAAAAB48/_2qpUYLIilY--9-Rpb4L7pXOyA8e4h1kQCLcB/s1600/100_5635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G2w0HDnFyHo/WMZguRwlZUI/AAAAAAAAB48/_2qpUYLIilY--9-Rpb4L7pXOyA8e4h1kQCLcB/s320/100_5635.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Some of these are 20 foot long and I hope to make a couple of log baskets with them, with fresh cut willow as stakers.<br />I looked in the pond last week and saw a large lump of frogspawn. Hurrah! I looked again on Saturday and there was none and the water was disturbed. Our neighbours saw a heron on the chicken hut that that overlooks the pond. Would a heron eat frogspawn?<br />Yesterday I looked again and there were at least eight frogs having an orgy, so I will find some sort of netting to put over the pond and we will hope to keep any frogspawn.<br />I have been tidying up my followers list as there were several bloggers that seem to have disappeared. I'm quite sad at the loss of some of these bloggers who have just fallen out of blogland. I often wonder what happened to them, don't you? &nbsp;I've asked my family to close my blog with a quick explanation if something awful happens to me. Is this morbid?!<br />Well I started off all happy about the sunshine and have ended up on a negative! So to move this on, the damson is in bud and with all the bulbs and catkins in flower there seems to be plenty of forage for the bees which have flying with gusto over the last few days.<br />Gillxhttp://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/03/good-morning-sunshine-doesnt-it-make.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-275169446507481303Sat, 04 Mar 2017 09:55:00 +00002017-03-04T09:55:07.671+00:00Skills courses and Frogspawn anyone?<br />Hello &nbsp;All!!<br />Well! A whole month since I posted! So many reasons I won't bore you with, suffice to say I'm back to the blog and will try to be more frequent from now on. I realise that I use this blog as a sort of diary and when I &nbsp;don't keep it up to date I have nothing to refer to when trying to remember something. (gets more difficult with age)<br />I have some new followers but am struggling to work out who, so will say Welcome and hopefully name you in my next post.<br />So far the winter has been really mild. The winter door curtains have hardly been used and we have seen the bees flying several times. I'm pleased to say that we have seen live bees from every hive so far.<br />When my friend J. from Cornwall came to stay a couple of weeks ago we cleared out the pond that is in the orchard/chicken run (while the chickens were ensconced in the barn. It looks awful and bare with absolutely no sign of life. Several people i know have frogspawn, but not us. I do hope we haven't messed with it too much and killed the frogs. Anybody else waiting for frogspawn?<br />I have invested in "The Complete Tightwad Gazette" by Amy Dacyczyn. Oh my goodness, she makes me look like a spendthrift! You have to convert it from American to English as with Carla Emery but there are some good ideas and you are never too old to learn.<br />My Eldest granddaughter and I organised a basketmaking course at the village hall &nbsp;for a few friends last saturday. We had such fun and each of us made a basket. We are now off to cut some fresh willow from the paddock and hope to make baskets for fruit and vegetable gathering this summer. My old baskets (which I always use) have finally broken and it will be good to replace them for free. EGD thinks she might make some small low sided ones to put the preserves in that she makes and gives as presents each Christmas. Great idea.<br />The success of the "course/get together" has inspired us to host a few more, so we have invited a friend to teach us felt-making and I have been asked to do a make-do-and-mend day and thought we could also do a "things to make with and old tea shirt "day. Goodness knows when we will find time!<br />Talking of make-do-and-mend, has anyone been on the site of that name on facebook?(with attached blog) It's a great site with ideas from all over, with a big emphasis on the environment and repurposing. It is good to see so many young people on the site. Us old fogeys can't keep going for ever and the need to consume less is now critical.<br />Earlier this year I was quite unwell and had another period of nauseusness. I found my usual sweet drinks weren't helping so cut out the sugar (I usually take two heaped spoonfuls in each cup!) Once I felt well again I decided to stop taking sugar in my tea altogether, reckoning that as I drink approx. 10 mugs of tea a day I was consuming over half a pound of sugar daily, which is pure junk really. &nbsp;Six weeks on and I still hate this sugarless tea! I really can't get used to it and found giving up smoking easier!, but will persevere as I am determined not to revert.<br />While not exactly bringing us up to date at least I've broken my duck and got back to blogging. So I'll sign off and wish you all ...<br />love from Gill<br /><br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/03/skills-courses-and-frogspawn-anyone.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-1374758938404762325Mon, 30 Jan 2017 17:04:00 +00002017-01-30T17:04:28.306+00:00The bacon cure recipe and prisoner hens&nbsp; Hello All<br />Firstly here is the recipe and method for the home cured bacon (courtesy of Cro)<br />Mix 2 parts sea salt to 1 part brown sugar some crushed black pepper and a good pinch of dried herbs.<br />&nbsp;Day 1. Rub this mix all over your pork joint and place in a shallow dish (reserving a little of the mixture).<br />Day 2 Pour off any liquid and rub in remaining mixture.<br />&nbsp;Day 4 wash off the salt mix , pat dry and wrap in muslin. hang in a cool dry place for 2 weeks.<br />I left the rind on for the curing &nbsp;and removed it for cooking as it was very hard.<br />I used a piece of belly pork from half a pig I bought from a friend, but see no reason why you couldn't buy &nbsp;a piece from the butcher to have a go. &nbsp;Good Luck if you give it a go. <br /><br />The chickens are still "cooped up"( I suppose that is the origin of the expression) I have put duct tape over the words"Free Range" on the sign by the road, but am sure that few people understand why. The news reports by Defra, the newspapers and the TV have been dire and sketchy at best.. How many people know (or care) &nbsp;that we have had more cases of Bird Flu in the country? I wonder what we are suppose to do after 28th February, the date set in the new year for keeping the birds in. We have had four more cases since then but no notification of extending the deadline.<br />Anyway, I thought I would share the plight of my girls, and goodness knows they are better off than many. The goat house (which hasn't housed a goat since Annie died 4 years ago) is now given over to them. Three breeding doe rabbits now share the house, but we have had to cancel the piglets we ordered and the early cade lambs.<br />Here is the door to the house, The top is usually open, but the girls can easily jump out when it is. Our major concern is that the swallows arrive in April/May and use this entrance to come and go from the nests they build in the eaves here every year.<br />At the entrance is a tray, usually used to stand plant pots in, which has a sheet of carpet in the bottom and Jeyes Fluid diluted at the rate of 20 to 1 with water. The container and brush at the side is for cleaning boots etc if necessary.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gNiWXI0VPUo/WI9sE5mqkMI/AAAAAAAAB3g/JGCOEbiRY2Y7BBze4y0D_65E230rO1MnwCLcB/s1600/DSC_0060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gNiWXI0VPUo/WI9sE5mqkMI/AAAAAAAAB3g/JGCOEbiRY2Y7BBze4y0D_65E230rO1MnwCLcB/s320/DSC_0060.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>I'm really chuffed that Jeyes Fluid is approved for footbaths etc for Avian Flu as it is so easily available. I bought 1 litre for £5.45 at Lidl last week.. bargain!<br />I have turned the small hutches, usually used for young chicks or kits into laying places, stapling black material over the netting an gaps between hutches to encourage the hens to lay in clean bedding.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C3DClakWy2c/WI9uPLBijII/AAAAAAAAB3s/sNR27GCa56UIYmbbfhNbxs9c3EKKVJyjwCLcB/s1600/DSC_0061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C3DClakWy2c/WI9uPLBijII/AAAAAAAAB3s/sNR27GCa56UIYmbbfhNbxs9c3EKKVJyjwCLcB/s320/DSC_0061.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;Towards the rear of this picture is an large hutch. I am using this as a vermin-proof place to keep some stores. ...Apples, marrows, pumpkins and onions in particular. I'm a little worried that the number of chickens will be increasing the temperature around the veg and they will not keep as well, so I have started to use this particular store. As you can see they birds are eating some soft apples here<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8G2rRS0pfNA/WI9uffxVo6I/AAAAAAAAB3w/BaE4OpWLtSYX_wgBQ741QAY4PvbMcFWhgCLcB/s1600/DSC_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8G2rRS0pfNA/WI9uffxVo6I/AAAAAAAAB3w/BaE4OpWLtSYX_wgBQ741QAY4PvbMcFWhgCLcB/s320/DSC_0063.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;Here we look towards the door. You will notice that we have perspect roofing, which means that we are getting eggs now ( with some artificial light from 5 until 7) While I am complaining on behalf of the birds, the set up actually helps me as there is both electricity and water in the goathouse, meaning I can do all I need to do for their comfort in one place.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_oIKiPzt3r0/WI9uhR_-6EI/AAAAAAAAB30/UCIrGYnQco0xn5sOesE304DeSdrRj8DuACLcB/s1600/DSC_0064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_oIKiPzt3r0/WI9uhR_-6EI/AAAAAAAAB30/UCIrGYnQco0xn5sOesE304DeSdrRj8DuACLcB/s320/DSC_0064.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The "bushes " you can see against the wall is a bamboo that I have tied up there to dry and was going to process into canes before the Avian Flu overtook us. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br />If this post has done nothing else it will have heartened those who thought THEIR smallholdings were untidy !!!<br />Back soon<br />Gillxhttp://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-bacon-cure-recipe-and-prisoner-hens.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-5712549640635189320Wed, 25 Jan 2017 08:21:00 +00002017-01-25T08:21:56.537+00:00Hurrah for Harry PotterHello All.<br />Just starting to feel better after back-to-back lurgys! &nbsp;While I'm getting a new post together with the bacon solution recipe and some bird flu update, here is a post I wrote before Christmas and never posted<br />There is an awful lot of literary snobbery about the Harry Potter books. I understand that they are not "classics" nor "worthy" and I know of many people who say they are trash and they wouldn't deign to read them.(mmm how can they know they are trash?)<br />Some years ago my grandson J. aged 7 (who has Asperger's) who could read exceptionally well (ever since a fantastic teacher found a way to make him sit still long enough to teach him the rudiments of reading &nbsp;- thank you Mr Collinson!) would often stay with me overnight. I would read to him each night even though he read as well as I, as it calmed him and was part of a lifetime ritual. He liked books on Mythology, space stories and dinosaurs &nbsp;and some other random stuff. I was always on the look out for something to read to him, or for him to read.<br />One particular weekend I was watching the news and saw a line of boys and girls queuing outside a book shop. They were waiting to buy book two of a series and were SO excited they were jumping up and down. What really caught my eye were the numbers of boys in the queue and I wondered what phenomenon had captured their interest. It was Harry Potter Book two (I hadn't heard of book one) Sometime in the next week we went to the library and borrowed Book One. I read the first chapter to J. and he then took the book off me and began reading. He read for hours and hours until he had finished it. Needless to say I set off to buy Book Two which he took away and read likewise. These book he read and re-read for the next year, while he waited for the next book to be released. One night when he was staying with me I said. "If you like Harry Potter I think you will like The Hobbit. I read the first chapter and he again took the book off me and read through the night until he had finished it. The next time he stayed I gave him the Lord of the Rings (my mother's favourite books, which we replaced each year for her as she wore each copy out!) He was in heaven, but had to be restricted to his reading times with these books obviously. He would walk around with one of the books under his arm (he still does this age 24) so that he could lose himself (and not have to interact with people either!).<br />I'm not sure that I would have thought to introduce J. to Tolkien so early without Harry Potter prompting me to do so.<br />I know of so many parents who say the HP has awakened an interest in reading in their child which can only be for the good and we all have to start somewhere,<br />So Hurrah for Harry Potter!<br />Back soon<br />Gillx<br /><br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/01/hurrah-for-harry-potter.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-3414085900520068751Sun, 08 Jan 2017 16:55:00 +00002017-01-08T16:55:46.579+00:00Home cured bacon - The Results!Hello All<br />This morning EGD and myself were getting ready to brave the grey damp weather to watch YGD compete in a (not very) local show. She was competing in the Dressage and Jumping. We thought we ought to have a little something inside us to keep us warm and decided on egg on toast until we remembered THE BACON. Only a day early, so off I trotted to the outhouse to bring the joint in.<br />We discussed how to have it and decided that simple was best so we had it fried and in a sandwich.<br />Here is the joint &nbsp;after a few slices cut off<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FAe7mUL68OQ/WHJW-cKInKI/AAAAAAAAB3M/W-5-XdD8WIUlG588fi6LPefP0kv-WHVUQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FAe7mUL68OQ/WHJW-cKInKI/AAAAAAAAB3M/W-5-XdD8WIUlG588fi6LPefP0kv-WHVUQCLcB/s320/DSC_0057.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>And here is is fried and crispy<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V79xo9CcOKE/WHJXEvFiIiI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/ZAji0JBO2M0O3nqyHtkjxn_tcawhqNtKQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V79xo9CcOKE/WHJXEvFiIiI/AAAAAAAAB3Q/ZAji0JBO2M0O3nqyHtkjxn_tcawhqNtKQCLcB/s320/DSC_0058.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Oh MY! it was Delicious!!!!!<br />Thank you Cro for the recipe and the method, we will be doing it again most definitely.<br />Back soon<br />Gillxhttp://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/01/home-cured-bacon-results.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-4559605169730711843Tue, 03 Jan 2017 14:59:00 +00002017-01-03T14:59:49.833+00:00Making Bacon and Jaffa cakes &nbsp;Hello<br />As mentioned in my last post. .......<br />Here is the half pig I bought from a friend. She had it slaughtered and would usually have it butchered too, but as the abattoir was busy with Christmas they could only cut the pigs into six.<br />&nbsp;Here is my half, cut into three.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lc2j5Yn7jJY/WGo-AGTgTuI/AAAAAAAAB2g/Ck_3zMI_og85dAcAmKE4RWl3RnZnTBWRQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lc2j5Yn7jJY/WGo-AGTgTuI/AAAAAAAAB2g/Ck_3zMI_og85dAcAmKE4RWl3RnZnTBWRQCLcB/s320/DSC_0048.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>There was quite a lot of fat on it, but we are okay with that as it adds to the flavour and makes it more succulent and it looks like pork used to look. It didn't take me too long to cut it into joints and chops, which I froze apart from a good size leg joint that I chilled to roast on Christmas day and a piece of belly pork that I determined I would home cure for bacon &nbsp;in the manner that Cro a blogger in France does.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-byo2-lcuqBA/WGpAVoTpBoI/AAAAAAAAB28/juxz5Pe3TcclNrDljW66N7kydNAqgaAsQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-byo2-lcuqBA/WGpAVoTpBoI/AAAAAAAAB28/juxz5Pe3TcclNrDljW66N7kydNAqgaAsQCLcB/s320/DSC_0045.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Below is a (not very good) picture of the belly joint in the salt &nbsp;I left the rind on for the process, though Cro tells me it is likely to be tough when finished, so I will remove it when curing is finished.This is coarse sea salt mixed with brown sugar ( I used demerara) black pepper and herbs. The second day I poured off the liquid that had gathered and put more (reserved) salt mix over the joint. I turned this again over the next four days, when I washed off the salt, patted the joint dry and hung in an airy outbuilding wrapped in muslin. It will be ready on the 9th January. I believe at this stage you could smoke it if you had the facility, but I shall try it unsmoked first.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just had a peek and it is looking and smelling good so far. Can't wait!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RMkUSDHqKCk/WGo-Ok39UOI/AAAAAAAAB2k/i3cI8k6ahmE8Oq23nvKFIYBmdr5H6_JjACLcB/s1600/DSC_0050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RMkUSDHqKCk/WGo-Ok39UOI/AAAAAAAAB2k/i3cI8k6ahmE8Oq23nvKFIYBmdr5H6_JjACLcB/s320/DSC_0050.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; And so to Jaffa Cakes....<br /><b>The Jelly -</b>- A few hours before (or the day before) you are due to bake, make a jelly (from jelly cubes) with 150mls hot water instead of 400ml and pour into a shallow tray and refrigerate<br /><b>The cake bases </b>-- Make a fatless sponge with 1oz sugar, 1 oz flour and 1 egg (beat egg and sugar together until light and fluffy and carefully stir in the flour) Grease &nbsp;shallow patty tin tray. Put a large spoonful of mix into each patty tin and cook until very lightly browned and firm. This mix made 4 dozen little cake bases.<br /><b>The chocolate </b>-- melt chocolate (we used a mix of dark and milk choc) in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. When melted, take off heat and allow to cool.<br />While the chocolate is cooling cut rounds of jelly to rest in top of the sponge. We used the top of a salt pot (this also serves well to cut holes in doughnut dough!)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FkiZtYMqsLQ/WGpALGTI9qI/AAAAAAAAB24/nPVBGxC7IA4Li3Lg3aVraOz5nv61TXjXQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FkiZtYMqsLQ/WGpALGTI9qI/AAAAAAAAB24/nPVBGxC7IA4Li3Lg3aVraOz5nv61TXjXQCLcB/s320/DSC_0053.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6j_RLfFidXk/WGo-cQzgI5I/AAAAAAAAB2o/7yDZxPyiIuwMKRCJVUJyUZQ0PXjBRG_gQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6j_RLfFidXk/WGo-cQzgI5I/AAAAAAAAB2o/7yDZxPyiIuwMKRCJVUJyUZQ0PXjBRG_gQCLcB/s320/DSC_0054.JPG" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />When the chocolate has cooled sufficiently (you will need to test this on any rubbish sponges you might have) so that the jelly does not melt immediately, spoon over each cake and smooth over.. Voila!!!<br /><br /><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wKSrKJbRKMY/WGo-hTwPLfI/AAAAAAAAB2s/PA-C98_7ppE3O3Htq1MqGzLCMEmlXyzsgCLcB/s1600/DSC_0055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wKSrKJbRKMY/WGo-hTwPLfI/AAAAAAAAB2s/PA-C98_7ppE3O3Htq1MqGzLCMEmlXyzsgCLcB/s320/DSC_0055.JPG" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Look pretty good don't they? They cost very little too.<br />Hope these work for you, they are certainly easier and more like the real thing than those made on the GBBO.<br />Back soon<br />Gillxhttp://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/01/making-bacon-and-jaffa-cakes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-3451003323627833072Mon, 02 Jan 2017 14:18:00 +00002017-01-02T14:18:00.311+00:00A good start to the yearHappy New Year Dear Bloggy friends.<br />David and I have had the lurgy since Boxing day, but are now on the mend. David always suffers more than I do as he has such a weak chest for various reasons.<br />The chickens are still going stir crazy from being kept in because of the Avian Flu thing. I am still seeing hens and geese out in the fields as I drive along and wonder if they know that currently they are required by law to keep them in. On the plus side....<br />&nbsp;THE CHICKENS ARE COMING BACK INTO LAY. Hurrah!. So the signs are out alongside the Honey and Kindling signs, so hopefully we shall earn some money to pay the butcher for doing the deed with the sheep that go tomorrow.<br />Had a great Christmas up until the lurgy struck. 18 for Christmas lunch and some lovely, thoughtful &nbsp;and &nbsp;useful presents. One of the best was a card from my godson and his sons for a days work from each. Brilliant! I have already got lots of ideas where some brawn will be very helpful. The children bought us some cider apple trees and a four wheeled barrow thingy which I have used already to ferry animal food about, bags of munchings for the chicken house floor and a bag of potatoes and carrots from the barn to the house. This morning I have put some bags of kindling in it to ferry to the gate for sale. David bought me an electric wax capping knife which I am excited to use and I bought him a new bee tunic as his is full of holes (not good!) Lots more presents given and received but won't bore you any further apart from to mention EGD's home made hampers. One of the items she made was Jaffa cakes, which were FANTASTIC and very easy to do (not at all like the rubbish efforts in the Great British Bake Off). I shall put the recipe in my next post.<br />All for now, as I'm feeling a lot better and am anxious to get outside while the sun shines.<br />A very warm 2017 welcome to Louise Pope, Rozie Hassan, Lias, Jennifer marie and Mary Lee Williams on Bloglovin and Rita Caudwell, Sandra Graham and Maude on the Google side bar.<br />Back soon with the Jaffa cake recipe and the low down on how I am attempting to home cure some bacon a la the "Cro method".<br />Gillx<br /><br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2017/01/a-good-start-to-year.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-4708069296868645792Sat, 24 Dec 2016 07:50:00 +00002016-12-24T07:50:01.182+00:00Happy ChristmasRevving up to a couple (or more!) days of friend and family overload, which is not a complaint in any way! So in the quiet before the bedlam, sitting in "my" snug with just the parrot for company, I would like to wish you all<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS &nbsp;and a PEACEFUL NEW YEAR.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xlXdRqQ3uwo/WF4norJt4dI/AAAAAAAAB2M/zb289c52wwcSOOO483LSkfIa17zlSY83ACLcB/s1600/15622335_10153918103440566_6616487620209928846_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xlXdRqQ3uwo/WF4norJt4dI/AAAAAAAAB2M/zb289c52wwcSOOO483LSkfIa17zlSY83ACLcB/s320/15622335_10153918103440566_6616487620209928846_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />Gillx<br />PS in case you hadn't already guessed that is my own Santa with his youngest granddaughter on one of his several outings this Christmas.http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2016/12/happy-christmas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8953248892638598159.post-2862609455863057227Thu, 15 Dec 2016 10:17:00 +00002016-12-15T10:17:52.223+00:00Apple and Honey Chutney, present making and bird flu update<br />Hello All<br />The chickens are getting used to their prisons, but continue to try to push past me when I go into feed them! I am certainly using more food as they cannot find find the extras that free-ranging allows. I am spinning out the apples, marrows etc and David has the workshop oven lit each day to cook up vegetable peelings, which he is mixing with the gash flour from the mill.<br />&nbsp;I have been interested to see how people have been approaching the difficulties. &nbsp;Dawn at "Doing it for ourselves in Wales" seems to have all bases covered, she has even stopped feeding the wild birds, which is something I hadn't considered. Dawn is a smallholder with much experience, give her a read if you haven't visited her before.(I still don't know how to do a link)<br /><br />A present for the man who has all he needs -<br />I have written before about my annual quest to find a present for a friend who has all he needs (and more) He always buys me books from a charity shop and I always make him something. For example, knitted dishcloth, dusters from old shirts and home made polish from out beeswax, an apron with a picture of his current house on the pocket, a tea cosy embroidered with a pic of his old house. You get the idea. This year |I have made him a dundee cake which I am putting in a tin on which I have stuck a label that resembles a bookplate. He is a serious collector of bookplates, owning thousands and adding to his collection all the time. Bookplates always have an illustration of some sort, the book owners name and often the words "Ex Livre" - meaning "from my library". My latin is non-existent and I have been trying to find the latin for Kitchen, but have had to settle for "oven". I know he will get the joke. I am also making him some stuffed dates, which I will make nearer the day, though I did make some almond paste yesterday for one of the fillings. I am not in the least bit worried that he will read this before the day as he can't even use a mobile phone!<br />This guy will also get a hamper from my granddaughter. Each year she makes preserves, cookies etc to put in her hampers which she gives to all the(older) adults in the family and friends. One of the preserves she made this year was Apple and Honey Chutney. This is a new recipe for us, with nearly all the ingredients grown here on the smallholding. Here is the recipe<br /><b>Apple and Honey Chutney</b><br />12 Apples (pippins) we used large jonogolds<br />6 green Tomatoes<br />&nbsp;2 large onions<br />3 peppers (I used both green and red)<br />Half cup of dried fruit (we used chopped dates)<br />one and a half tbs mustard seed<br />one a three quarter cups Honey<br />3 cups vinegar (we used cider vinegar)<br />one and three quarter tps salt<br />&nbsp;" &nbsp;" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; " &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; " &nbsp;ground ginger<br />&nbsp; " &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; " &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; " &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;" &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Allspice ( we didn't have any, so used nutmeg and cloves)<br />&nbsp;2 cloves crushed garlic<br />Chop fruit and veg how you like it (some people like it really chunky)<br />&nbsp;Put everything together in a pan and cook slowly until thickens ( so a view of the bottom of the pan can be seen when a wooden spoon is drawn over it) This took over an hour.<br />Put into sterilised jarts and seal.<br /><br />Has anyone else had a surge of Russian readers again? At least somebody loves me - I seem to be losing followers on Google again (while the Bloglovin numbers grow steadily) Is it something I said?<br />Still unseasonably warm here. Off to post local Christmas cards and letters from the Civic Society and won't need hat and gloves methinks.<br />Back Soon I hope (yes I know I'm rubbish at regular posting)<br />Gillx<br /><br />http://frugalinderbyshire.blogspot.com/2016/12/apple-and-honey-chutney-present-making.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Frugal in Derbyshire )15